Joseph Bryant, 1922-2002

Joseph Bryant, 1320 E St. NE, died of a heart attack on Nov.
13. Mr. Bryant had lived at 1320 E St. since June 1950. His funeral
was on Tuesday, at Vermont Avenue Baptist Church.

Below is an obituary written by the family. The Corner Forum also
asked some of Mr. Bryant's relatives, friends and
co-workers to tell us something about him. Their
remarks follow. Further stories, recollections and thoughts
are welcome.

On Wednesday, November 13, 2002, at Howard University
Hospital in Washington, D.C., God received the
gentle spirit of our beloved husband, father and friend
Joseph Bryant into eternal rest.

Joseph Bryant, son of the late Henry Leslie Bryant and Pearl Thorne Bryant, was born
on August 20, 1922, in Nash County, North Carolina. He received
his early education in the public schools of Nash County and
Enfield, North Carolina.

As a young man, Joseph moved to Washington, where on June
29, 1946, he was united in marriage to Cora L. Britt. This union
produced two daughters, Joetta, who preceded her father in death on May
19, 1963, and Kathy. Joseph was a devoted husband and father who
worked tirelessly to provide for his family.

Shortly after arriving in the nation's capital, Joseph obtained
employment as a cook. He worked at this profession for 15 years at
Woodward and Lothrop department store in downtown Washington.
His pleasant personality and love of people made him a natural for
his other professions, taxi driver and barber. From the driver's seat of
his taxi, "Mutual #2," he traversed the streets of Washington, pointing
out sites and providing history lessons to tourists and local residents
alike. In 1963, he earned his masters barber license at Phelps
Vocational School and considered this to be one of his greatest
achievements. Until his recent illness, he was a fixture at Smokey's, a local
barber shop.

Mr. Joe, as he was affectionately called by many, enjoyed
telling stories. His stories brought smiles and offered words of wisdom
and encouragement. Joseph was well respected by his friends
and in his community, and known for his gentle manner and
pleasant personality. He openly professed his belief in God and
was a faithful member of Vermont Avenue Baptist Church for
over 50 years.

In addition to Cora and Kathy, many are left to cherish
his memory: two grandchildren, Kirston and Christopher
Gaines; one son-in-law, John H. Gaines; one brother, Leary
Bryant; two sisters-in-law, Ethel Lois Thomas and Hannah Bryant;
one brother-in-law, James Britt; and a host of other relatives
and friends.

_______________

By Leary Bryant, 81, brother

Well, you know, I was raised up with him. In North
Carolina. Up around Brattlesboro, Whittaker, little towns up
all around us. Rocky Mountain. And worked on the farm, `til
we got old enough to leave, you know? And he used to always
try to raise him a little corn or somethin'. Tobacco, and cotton.
I never liked it. I used to get a whippin' `bout it. I wasn't
pickin' enough, you know. Mamma wanted me to pick 100 pounds
 I couldn't do it. He did that better than I
would.I reckon he was 18 or more when he got here [to D.C.], I think. I
don't know now. It's been so long. We had family up here. And
we'd leave one place and go to the other, you know. That's the
way that happened. Our father died when we were small. Our
mother was up here, workin', tryin' to send a few pennies back to
us down there. And that's the way it happened. And then
you came to join her, when she was here? Well, in a way
we done. We'd a see each other, but we didn't live together,
you know. She was workin' for people, stayin' on the job mostly.

_______________

By Mable Hill, 1322 E. St., neighbor

I've been knowing Mr. Joseph about 55 years. He's
always been like a brother to me. He would take the kids to my
car, watch out for my house, and my family's house. So, he
was like my big brother. Lovely man. Family man. And he
always kept everybody in my family straight. He loved my
mother and father. They was like a mother and father to him. And
I'm gonna sadly miss him. `Cause he was a crutch for me 
all my problems. And I will never forget him. My mother
and father were like a mother and father to Mr. and Mrs.
Bryant. When my mother died, when my father died, they were
just like sister and brother to my family. And Mr. Joe was like
my father's son, my mother's son. And he did for them until
they died. Then he picked up slack and was my big brother  I
had one sister and two brothers  he was like a big brother to
me. If we did anything wrong, he corrected us. You know what
I mean, stayed on our side.

_______________

By Etta Archibald, 44, Southeast D.C., cousin

He was a quiet man, but when he spoke, you listened,
because he didn't speak much. And whatever he had to say 
if you really listened to him, you'd know he was only telling
you the right thing. Even though we were young and
hard-headed, he still let us know, and we loved him. It was simple
words. Just simple words, like "I wouldn't do that." Or, "I don't
think you should." He never said "Don't," or "Stop." He would
always, like, a form of suggestion, you know? "I think
you should," or, "If I were you, I wouldn't do that." Or he
would suggest if you could do it another way  kinda get you
to think about an alternative.

_______________

By Eddie "Smokey" Maye, 58, employer,

Smokey's Barber Shop, 1338 H St. NE

He worked for me for about six years, and he's
always come when he was supposed to. And a good man. As old as
he were. He was 80 years old. He came in five days a week.
`Bout eight hours [a day]. Third chair, over there. He was
number three. He had his own customers. He was well-liked,
well-respected.Everybody liked to hear him say "Mister." He had
a peculiar way of saying "Mister." (chuckles). When he say
"Mister"  he not doin' no jokin' then. (chuckles).

_______________

By Kirston Gaines, 22, Baltimore, granddaughter

He always had a story to tell. He used to always have
good conversation. Just anything. The littlest thing  it could be
a cup of coffee, and he just reminisce about when he was
little. Just very sweet, never upset about anything. Just a very
sweet person. I'm gonna miss him a whole lot.

_______________

By Julian Bryant, 38, Silver Spring, Md., nephew

I remember when I took him and my father down to
Richmond for a funeral, and they asked me to drive down 
they couldn't get anyone else to drive down. And I got them
down to Richmond, we went to the funeral and everything, and
we got back, and (chuckles), my uncle had written me this
long note, this long letter, about my driving (chuckles). So, you
know, he was telling me, you know, there's always going to be a
car in front of me, so I don't have to be the first car. I'm not
gonna ever be in front of anybody on the highway, `cause there's
always gonna be a car in front of me.

_______________

By Michele Evans Brown, 1314 E St., neighbor

Kathy and I grew up together, just best friends for a
long time. My father died when I was a young girl. I guess I
was like in the fourth grade, so he was like a father figure to
me, and has been one for the remainder of his life. Just a very
kind and gentle person. What you would want a husband and a
father to be. And just a good friend.

_______________

By Andrew Jackson, 70, co-worker at Smokey's

For lunch, he always have tuna fish and tomato juice
(chuckles). Very seldom he had somethin' different. Good man.
Good man.